Is Windows 8’s Lack of Windows a Mistake?

podcast interview:

Is Windows 8’s Lack of Windows a Mistake? - IEEE Spectrum:
"Usability guru Jakob Nielsen says Microsoft’s new OS takes a giant step backward"

Recently, software guru Jakob Nielsen gave Windows 8 a thorough vetting, with usability testing on both desktops and tablets. His verdict? Journalist Preston Gralla of Computerworld summed it up this way: “Windows 8 is bad on tablets and even worse on PCs. [Nielsen] blames dueling interfaces, reduced ‘discoverability,’ ‘low information density,’ and more.”

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I think this is just "version 1" of new Microsoft product. The platform is much better (faster, more secure) than Windows 7, and the GUI will (need to) evolve...

Tablet Profit Margins

Tablet Profit Margins - IEEE Spectrum

Microsoft Surface RT (32 GB with touch cover)
Materials: $271
Price: $599
Margin*: $328

LCD Monitor Tests

LCD Color Test

On a good monitor, you should see roughly equal steps in brightness over the full range from 1 to 32, and in all colors. Bar 1 should be visible.
A bad monitor will not show the leftmost few rectangles, will not show a difference between the rightmost few, or shows a relatively large jump between numbers 31 and 32.

Swap Left & Right Monitor on Windows 7 & 8

It is VERY non-intuitive how to configure Windows 7 & 8 with two monitors,
that correct monitor is on the left and right.
Otherwise, the mouse to move from right monitors needs to go to RIGHT side to go to left monitor.

The solution is super simple (when you figure it out):

Multiple Display Swapping Support?

on the desktop, select Screen Resolution,
and drag the Monitor 1 icon to the other side of the Monitor 2 icon

Second Monitor to My PC

Good bye, IT Conversations

IT Conversations is first major podcast ever created.
After almost 10 years, it has ended.
Thank you for all great programs over all those years!

Doug Kaye | All's Well That Ends Well


Doug Kaye created the IT Conversations podcast in 2003 and founded The Conversations Network in 2005. He served as the Network’s Executive Director through the end of 2012, when it ceased production of new programs.

Why C++ Is Not “Back” « Making the Complex Simple

Why C++ Is Not “Back” « Making the Complex Simple:

Now don’t get me wrong. C++11 is fantastic! I am in just about 100% agreement with all of the changes that have been made. C++ has definitely become much easier to use and it has even become more powerful.

There is one thing it didn’t become though—and this is the most important—more simple.

"Service Stack" framework

Open source .NET and Mono REST Web Services framework "Service Stack"
is "opinionated" about simplicity and performance.

It is solving similar tasks as Microsoft's ASP.NET Web API, but it is simpler and faster.
It also includes a simple ORM, again much simpler and faster than Micrsofot's "out-of-the-box"
Entity Framework.
It does a few times faster serialization than JSON.Net, another open source tool that Microsoft is now including with Visual Studio.
It can even do SOAP, much better than Microsoft's WCF...

Service Stack is created by a Demis Bellot (mythz) who used to work for StackExchange.com
(linkedin.com/in/mythz)
slideshare.net/newmovie
I would not be surprised that Microsoft ASP.NET "embrace" this new tool in some form soon...

Hanselminutes Technology Podcast - More on Service Stack with John Sonmez:

Pluralsight training

servicestack.net/benchmarks

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Added 2013-02-13:
Podcast interview with Demis Bellot, creator of on ServiceStack @.NET Rocks!